Why crowdfunding could disrupt how solar power is created

If you’re an avid Kickstarter backer, or even have seen Kickstarter’s latest 2012 stats, then you’re well-versed in the power of crowd-funding. Kickstarter recently said that 10 percent of the films at Sundance are Kickstarter-funded, and in 2012 over 2 million people pledged close to $320 million to successfully fund over 18,000 Kickstarter projects on the site.

Can clean power projects — like solar panel rooftop installations and even wind farms — tap into this crowd-funding trend using a twist that actually makes money for its backers? The folks at startup Solar Mosaic hope so, and their very early success is a good indication that it can.